NanoTemper Technologies GmbH develops and sells measurement devices, by means of which liquids within a capillary are examined or analyzed optically. It is further known that a single capillary is taken by hand, immersed into a liquid and then separately put down on an array and subsequently pushed into the measuring device. The individual filling is advantageous for certain single samples, however, if larger amounts of samples are to be examined, said method requires many steps which cannot readily be automated.
Application no. EP 2 572 787, which was filed by the same applicant as the present invention, describes capillaries which are adhered to an array by means of magnetic forces. Said method allows, i.a., easier and/or more precise positioning of the single capillaries on the array. In other words, it is still preferred to individually fill the single capillaries, however, the subsequent step is supported by magnetic forces.
However, in some biochemical/biological/diagnostic/medical appliances, magnetic beads in the liquids are used. Said substances or “magnetic beads” cannot be used with the magnetic capillaries since they are negatively influenced by the magnetic fields, for example by the magnetic fields holding the magnetic capillaries or by the magnetic material on the capillary itself.
Also in scopes of application like NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), which also uses magnetic fields, magnetic capillaries cannot be applied.
A micro cuvette array, Optim 1000 of ForteBio is known, in which 16 micro cuvettes are arranged in recesses of an array and are filled separately or by means of a multichannel pipette. The array has to be sealed after filling the micro cuvettes and is then led to an analysis device. Filling of said micro cuvettes can, however, only be carried out manually in a cumbersome way. Furthermore, filling of said micro cuvettes cannot easily be followed or checked and the micro cuvettes are so short that vaporization of the liquid is a huge problem which makes elaborate sealing necessary.
For laboratory analyses microwell plates are often used. However, it is not possible to use said microwell plates for all laboratory analyses. For example, it is not possible for the time being to directly conduct thermophoresis measurements within the wells of said microwell plates.
Thus, there is the need for an improved device or an improved method. Preferably, it should be allowed to fill a plurality of capillaries simultaneously and preferably in a secure and efficient way as well as by simple and advantageous handling.